Napping machine



June 7, 1949. I w. N. HADLEY NAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1947 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS W. N. HADLEY NAPPING MACHINE June 7, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 18, 1947 v INVENTOR. BY H JfAWM am W Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NAPPING MACHINE Wilfred Nourse Hadley, Springfield, .V t., assig'no'r to Park's & Woolson Machine 00., Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont Application December 18, 1947, Serial No. 792,385

13 Claims.

My invention relates to textile machinery and in particular to machines employed to raise nap on woven fabric.

The yarn or thread operated on by a loom is ordinaril relatively tightly twisted and smooth surfaced so that the woven fabric leaving the loom does not exhibit the soft and pleasing surface effect which has come to be a prized characteristic of fine fabrics. In order to obtain a suitable finish it has been customary to pass the cloth through a napping machine in which resillent barbs are caused topick across the surface of the cloth to lift fibers from the yarn and draw them uniformly in the same direction in order to produce a nap of proper appearance and quality. For this purpose the industry has employed wire nappers and teasel gigs. In both of these machines the cloth is roven over rollers associated with a drum and arranged to form a path for the cloth which is tangent to the drum at one or more points. Mounted on the drum is a multiplicity of rows of wire fingers or te'asels, the teasel being a vegetable burr having a long resilient hooked thorn or bristle peculiarly adapted for forming a nap. The drum carrying the napping instrument'alities is ordinarily a massive structure made to revolve at high speed, while the cloth is fed along its path either in the same or opposite direction as the direction of rotation of the drum.

Two particularly troublesome problems have been experienced in connection with the use of napping machines. If the cloth feed is started at the same time driving power is applied to the drum, the relatively lengthy period required to bring the drum up to speed results in the production of an inferior nap on that portion of the cloth passing over the drum before full drum speed is obtained. Moreover if driving power is 'cut off from the cloth feed and from the drum simultaneously, the cloth will immediately stop moving, but the drum will "continue to rotate for several minutes. During this later 'period the nap producing fingers engage the cloth and pick at it through a very narrow transversely extendarea with the result that the cloth is scarred and seriously weakened in these areas. on the other hand, if the cloth driving power is not cut oil until the has e'alld revolving, the

nap produced during the'period while the drum slows down will be of inferior quality.

The most important object of my invention is to improve the quality and efficiency with which the operation of napping may be carried out.

Another important object of the invention is til . 2 to make it possible-to operate a napping machine without scarring the cloth or producing inferior nap either at the beginning or end of a period of operation of the equipment.

An important feature of my invention resides in a napping machine provided with at least one roller movable to lift the cloth from contact with the drum or to a position in which the cloth travelsa path tangent to the drum and thus engages the nappin fingers.

Another feature of the invention resides in a control mechanism operatively associated with the cloth feed andcapable of automatically lifting the clothfrom engagement with the drum when driving power to the cloth feed is cut-ofi.

Another important feature of the invention consists in a napping machine provided with two napping drums and one train of mechanism capable of being operated to lift the cloth simultaneously from engagement with both drums and also capable of being operated simultaneously to direct the cloth into contact with a number of points on each drum, the extent of contact at all points being simultaneously adjustable with one control element.

These and other objects and features of my invention will be more readily understood and appreciated'f-rom the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawin s. in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a two-drum teasel gig equipped with the cloth control mechanism of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan viewofth'e control mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of one end of the control mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the control mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram showing one form of circuit employed to operate the control mechanism.

It must be emphasized that my invention is applicable to many types of napping machines; therefore the machine shown in Fig. 1 appears only in sufficient detail to make possible a clear understanding of the construction and functions of my novel control mechanism. As shown in l, and to some extent in Fig. 2, the teasel gig is organized about a pair cisubstantially identical heavy metal side frames H! suitably tied together and braced to support; the heavy drums employed. A pair of'opposed brackets l2 extend upwardly from the center portions of both side frames ID between apai-r of main shafts l4 and I6 upon which are mounted the large hollow drums I8 and 20. As shown diagrammatically at I 9, the drums I8 and are each provided with a great many rows of teasels so secured on the surface of the drums that their fingers project radially from the circumferences of the drums. The drums are shown only diagrammatically inasmuch as my invention is not directed to any of the features of the drums or drum driving mechanisms. The shaft I4 carries at one end a large pulley 22 over which is roven a V-belt 26 which also passes over a pulley secured to the shaft of a motor 30. Similarly the shaft It carries a pulley 24 driven by a belt 28 which passes around the pulley of a motor 32. The motors 30 and 32 are preferably coupled to the same control circuit and are employed to turn the drums at high speed. Within the frames III a pair of spoked wheels 34 and 35 are mounted on the shaft I4 for free rotation thereon while a similar pair of wheels 36 and 3'! are mounted for free rotation on the shaft IS. The wheels 34-3I are approximately the same in diameter as the drums I8 and 20 but the wheels and drums are free to rotate independently of each other on the shafts I4 and I6.

I shall now briefly describe the elements cooperating to form the path of the cloth and feed it through the teasel gig. The cloth to be treated is shown in Fig. 1 at 44 and its path will be clear from an inspection of the direction indicating arrows. The cloth enters the machine over an idler roll 49 suspended between a pair of beams 38 secured to the frames I 0 at one end of the machine. The roller 40 spans the full width of the machine as do the other rollers now to be described. From the roller '40 the cloth 44 travels downwardly and around a fixed idler roller 42 disposed at the front end of the machine adjacent the surface of the drum I8. Then the cloth passes upwardly and over an idler roll 46 journalled in brackets secured to the wheels 34 and 35. From there the cloth travels upwardly and over a roller 48 journalled for rotation in a pair of frame extensions 50 extending upwardly from each of the side frames Ill. The cloth next leads over a roller 52 mounted on the wheels 34 and 35; over a roller 54 journalled in the brackets I2; over a roller 56 journalled on the wheels 34 and 35; over a roller 58 secured to the frame III; over a roller 50 journalled in the wheels 34 and 35; over a roller 62 mounted on the frame Ill; over a roller 54 mounted on the wheels 34 and 35 and then over a motor-driven roll 65 mounted on the front end of the machine on the side frames I D. Mounted above the motor driven feed roll 66 is a brush roll 68 carried on a swinging bracket in and adapted to clean the napping fin w swung into the position shown in Fig. 1.

From the roller 66 the cloth 44 is led along the bottom of the machine over three rolls I2, 16 and I6 mounted in the frames Ill. Then the cloth travels upwardly to a roll 18 mounted at the rear end of the machine adjacent the drum 20. It then passes over a roll mounted on the wheels 36 and 31; over a roller 82 mounted on the frames I0; over a roller 84 mounted on the wheels 36 and 31; over a roll 86 mounted on the frames H); over a roll 88 mounted on the wheels 36 and 37; over a roll 90 mounted on the bracket I2, over a roll 92 mounted on the wheels 36 and 31; over a roller 94 mounted on the frame extension 95; over a roller 96 mounted on the wheels 36 and 31. The cloth then leads over a motor-driven roll 98 mounted on the rear ends of the frames I0.

Finally the cloth passes over a roller 99 journalled in a pair of frame extensions IUD also secured to the rear ends of the frame In It will be seen that the cloth is fed or driven by the motors (not shown) which drive the rolls 66 and 98. The drive for the cloth is independent from the drive for the drums I8 and 20.

As shown in Fig. 2 there is mounted on the wheel 34 an arcuate rack or gear segment I92 while a similar rack I 03 is secured to the surface of the wheel 35. In like manner racks I04 and I05 are secured to the wheels 38 and 31. A pair of pinions I05 and I08 mesh respectively with the racks I02 and I03 and are fixed on a transverse shaft IIIl journalled in the brackets I2. Similarly a pair of pinions H2 and H4 mesh respectively with the racks I04 and I05 and are carried on a second transverse shaft II6 also journalled in the brackets I2. Thus both shafts III] and H6 are disposed in the center of the machine between the two drums I8 and 20. At the back of the machine (as viewed in Fig. 1) the shafts I I0 and H6 are mechanically connected through a pair of meshing gears I28 and I30. At the front end of the machine the shaft III) carries a sprocket H8 receiving a chain I20 which passes over a second sprocket secured to a stub shaft I23 journalled for rotation in one of the frames It! and provided with a large pulley I22 receiving a V-belt I24 driven from the pulley of a motor I26 secured to the base of the machine. It will be evident that when the motor I26 is operated, the shafts III] and H6 will be driven in opposite directions and thereby rotate the wheels 343'I.

Inspection of Fig. 1 will show that each roller afiixed to the wheels 34 and 35 spans the machine and is located between a pair of rolls mounted for rotation in fixed position. For example, the roll 52 at'the top of the wheel 34 as shown in Fig. 1 is disposed between the fixed roll 48 and the fixed roll 54. When the roll 52 is in the full line position the cloth 44 touches the surface of the drum I8 between the roll 52 and the roll 5%, that is to say, the path of the cloth is tangent to the drum between the two rolls. When the Wheels 34 and 35 are rotated counterclockwise the roll 52 is moved to the left to the dotted line position where it will be evident that the cloth 44 has been lifted from engagement with the surface of the drum and that the cloth part is no longer tangent to the drum. Further inspection will show that in the embodiment'illustrated in the drawings the normal cloth path is tangent to each of the drums at five points. The disposition of the rollers is such that the cloth path may not only be lifted from the drums so that the cloth does not come in contact with the napping instrumentalities, but it is also possible to vary the nap by moving the wheels, That is to say the cloth path may be arranged so that at the ten contact points the napping fingers barely reach the surface of the cloth and the picking action comprises a relatively light surface brushing. However, if the wheels 34 and 35 are moved more in 9, clockwise direction, the cloth will bear more heavily at the tangent points so that the picking action of the teasel is deeper and more penetrating. Consequently the extent of the nap I may easily be controlled by positioning the wheels.

It is to be understood that the operation of the rolls connected with the wheels 34 and 35 is identical with that of the rolls associated with the wheels 36 and 31.

In order to effect facile control of the wheels and their associated rollers I provide a special control mechanism now to he described. .Mdilhted on the shaft H outside the sprocket I18 is-a huh 32 carrying an angle-cam armuil. The hub I32 is keyed to the shaft I I 0 and rotates with it. Mounted on the'extreme end of the :shaftl I1! isa toothed wheel I36 to which issecured a 'bar I38 held to the wheel I36tby a bolt IN. .Atits other end the bar 138 terminatesin a sleeve through which passes the shaftl I6, which is ireezto turn within the sleeve I42; the barand toothed wheel its are thereby mounted infixed positionand locked against rotation. A cap I44 is'secured to the outer en'dof the shaft H6 to retain the sleeve I42 in proper position.

A microswitch I46 is securedtothebracket I2 above the hub I32 and is controlled'byadownwardly extending spring-loadedxplunger Ba-disposed in the path of the cam armIM. Between the hub I32 and the wheel I36 there is disposed a hub Hill loose on the shaft H9 and provided with a radially extending arm I52 in which is mounted a second microswitch' I54ccontrolled by a downwardly extending spring-loaded plunger 55% arranged. also to lie in the patriot the cam arm I3 on the front of thearm I52 is secured a housing I59 receiving a spring-loaded plunger Hid arranged at its lower end to engage the teeth on the wheel I36 and provided with a knob Hit! by means of which the plunger 158 may be retracted to free it from engagement with the teeth on the wheel I88. .Flor convenience the face of the wheel I36 carries aseries'oi symbols or numbers serving to indicate the position of the cloth relative to the points of tangency-on the'suriaces of the drums l8 and :29. For-convenience I prefer to designate as thezero, point the vertical position shown in-Fig. 4 wherein the cam arm I38 engages and depressestheplunger MB-o'fthe microswitch I46, The microswitch I54 with its plunger I56 may be setat any desired angular position about the wheel $36 and in the arrangement shown, the farther the-arm i5! is rotated in ounterclockwise direction, the greater is the sure or extent ofcontact betweengthe cloth the teasels when the cloth is lowered into operating position.

I contemplate that the -teasel sis will be started while the cloth is out of contact with the drums When the drums have. attained full operating speed, the cloth feed motors will be started and my control mechanism actuated. to lower the cloth so that it will hear uponthe at the ten tangencytpoints with the dcsired amount of pressure, At the end of the operation I contemplate lifting the cloth from operative position at the same time the cloth food drive is stopped and before or coincident with the cutting off of power to the drum -drive.- motors and 32. For an appreciation of the manner in which this is accomplished I refer to .5 which shows the circuit employed conjunction with the mechanical structure heretofore explained. I a v The cloth position control motor I26 isathree phase motor served by power supply lines-2M, 282 and 204. A manually oentrolledg-ang switch 2% is inserted across all three lines. The control elements for the circuit are associatedwith the lines 202 and 2M and areshown schematically. A control rod. 2H1, operated'by hand et suitable mechanism, is provided-with a contact closing bar '2I2 fixed upon the bar land'moya'ble in and out of contact with a pair of terminals 2; in a supply line 2H3 cooperating "with an other supply line M8 to suppiy'power todl'ftve 6 the cloth teed motors. .Als'o secured to the m a contact closer 22c :associate'dwith-two pairs or contacts 222 and 2 24. A similar contact closer 2 26 serves two pairs of contacts 2.28 and 2-30. Whenthe elements are in the position shown in the drawing the supply line 202is'connected to the terminal 2% and the supplyline wills connected to the terminal23 2. 'Whenthe rod '21s is moved upwardly the connections are reversed, thus reversing the direction of rotation of the motorlzli. The microswi'tch -I145 has two pairs of contacts M5 and M1 operated simultaneously. Similarly the microswitch I54 :is pro vided with two pairs of "contacts I53 (and IE5. Assuming that the switch 206 is closed, the rod 2H1 may he moved upwardly to move the contact bar '2 lzuagainst the contacts 21I 4'to start the cloth feedv'rnotors. Simultaneously the contact closers 22-0 and 2.26 will he moved to close the contacts 2-22 and 230 and drive the cloth position control motor so that the shaft 1H0 turns in the more wise direction and the wheels 34-31 are rotated to permit the cloth to come into contact with the suriace oi the teasel drums. When the motor starts, the cam arm I34 leaves the microswitch I46 which then closes; that is to say,.the contacts =1 45 and I41 are bridged. The motor I26 continues-to turn until the cam arrn 134 intercents and moves the plunger I56 on the microswi-tch "I54, opening the microswitch and cutting onthe ctu'rent from the'motor I26- Inasmuch as the micro'switch M5 is at this time closed, the circuit :is in condition for reverse movement. That is to say the control rod 241! may be depressed to restore the elements "to the position shown in Fig. 5. The wheels 34- 31-=a;re'there.-' upon caused to turn and lift the cloth outof scon tact with the teasel drums and the cam a'rm lfl leavesthe microswitch Ilia and the drive continues until the cam am 139 returns to the inicroswitch I46 and opens it again shutting off the supply of current to the cloth control motor. It should furthermore he noted that the cloth liftin'g mechanism is automatically tied in with the cloth feed. That is to say, the cloth cannot be moved into contact with the teasel drum unless the cloth feed is turned on. Similarly when the cloth is lifted the cloth feed drive is automatically stopped. The switch ans may be opened to permit independent operation of the cloth feed motors. Thatis to say. when the switch 2% is opened, the control'rod 2% functions only to turn the cloth feed motors on and off. The reverse is not true; that to say, the cloth applying and lifting functions cannot be carried out independently or the cloth feed.

It is to be realized that the circuit shown in Fig. 5 has been simplified for purposes ofclarity lei-explanation. In practice the circuit can "be wired to four push button toggle switches, one button being operated to start the clothfeed and apply the cloth to the drums, asecon'dhutton to stop the cloth feed and lift the cloth, a third button to disconnect the cloth position control mechanism from the feedmechanism and permit independent operation of the feed mechanism, and the fourth button for cutting off current to all motors for use in emergencies. Also the motor I25 is provided-with a brake urged into operative position by a spring and retracted by means ofa solenoid-coupled to the .motor control circuit so that the solenoid will be energized to tree the brake as soon as power is applied to the motor and released for instantaneously braking as soon as the supply of current to the motor is inter- 7 rupted. This is shown diagrammatically in Fig. to include a brake shoe 250 urged into braking position by a pair of compression springs 252 and provided with a rod 260 controlled by a powerful solenoid 262 connected in series with the motor supply line 205.

Having now described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a napping machine including a drum and rollers arranged to lead cloth around the drum through a path tangent to the drum. at at least onepoint; the combination of a frame mounted for rotation at each end of the drum, a roller mounted on said frames in position to span the drum beneath the cloth and spaced from said point of tangency, motor driven means for moving said frames, whereby said roller may be moved either to lift the cloth from the drum or to permit the cloth to touch the drum, motor driven means for feeding the cloth, and a control operable alternatively to out off the power to the feed means and simultaneously lift the cloth, and to start the feed means and move the frames simultaneously to permit the cloth to touch the drum. 2. In a textile napping machine including a drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for feeding cloth about the drum through a path tangent to the drum at at least one point; the combination of a frame mounted for movement at each end of the drum, a roller carried by the frames in position to span the drum beneath the cloth and spaced from-said point of tangency,'a motor, a mechanical train driven by the motor and driving said frames, a cam included in said train; a pair of limit switches disposed in the path of said cam and controlling said motor, and means for adjusting the distance between said limit switches to vary the extent to which the motor drives said train and frames.

3. In a textile napping machine including a drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for feeding cloth about the drum through a path tangent to the drum at at least one point; the combination of a frame mounted for movement at each end of the drum, a roller carried by theframes in position to span the drum beneath the cloth and spaced from said point of tangency, a motor, a mechanical train driven by the motor and driving said frames, a cam included in said train, and a pair of limit switches disposed in the path of said cam and controlling said motor.

4. In a textile napping machine including a drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for feeding cloth about the drum through a path normally tangent to the drum at at least one point; the combination of a roller, a movable support for mounting said roller in position to span the drum beneath the cloth and spaced from said point of tangency, a motor, a mechanical train driven by the motor and driving said support, and a control circuit constructed and arranged in association with the cloth feeding means and said motor to permit simultaneous stopping of said cloth feeding means and energization of said motor to move said roller relative to the point of tangency. l 5. In a textile napping machine including a drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for feeding cloth about the drum through a path normally tangent to the drum at at least one point; the combination of a roller spanning said drum, a movable support arranged to position said roller beneath the cloth and spaced from said point of tangency, a first motor, a brake for said first motor, spring loaded means normally urging said brake into operative position, means for retracting said brake, a mechanical train driven by said first motor and operable to move said roller with respect to said point of tangency, a second motor operating said cloth feeding means, a control circuit including both motors, and a' switch operable to cut off power to said second motor and simultaneously therewith operate the brake retracting means and energize said first motor.

6. In a textile napping machine including a drum, means for rotating the drum, and means for feeding cloth about the drum through a path tangent to the drum at at least one point; the combination of a roller, a. movable support arranged to position said roller beneath the cloth near said point of tangency, a first motor, a brake for said first motor, spring loaded means normally urging said brake into operative position, means for retracting said brake, a mechanical train driven by said first motor and operable to move said roller with respect to said point of tangency, a second motor operatingsaid cloth feeding means, a control circuit including both motors, a switch operable to cut off power to said second motor and simultaneously therewith operate the brake retracting means and energize said first motor, and means including a cam for cutting off power to said first motor and releasing said brake retracting means after said roller has been moved a predetermined amonut.

7. Cloth contact control means for a textile napping machine comprising a cloth feed motor, a cloth position control motor, means operable by said control motor for varying the path followed by the cloth, and a control circuit associated with both motors, said circuit including a first switch operable to cut off the cloth feed m0- tor and energize the cloth position control motor, and a pair of limit switches associated with said control circuit for determining the extent of rotation of said position control motor.

8. A textile napping machine comprising a pair of rotatably mounted drums, nap raising instrumentalities secured to the surfaces of said drums, means for feeding cloth about said drums through a path normally tangent to each of said drums at at least one point, a motor arranged to operate said feeding means, cloth deflecting means associated with each drum, each deflecting means being movable either to withdraw the cloth from contact with the napping instrumentalities or to a position in which the cloth bears upon the napping instrumentalities, a reversible motor operating both deflecting means, a cam driven by said motor, a pair of limit switches mounted in the path of said cam and controlling the extent of rotation of said motor, means for varying the distance between said limit switches to predetermine the extent of rotation of the motor operating the deflecting means, and a motor control circuit including both motors and said limit switches, and a switch forming part of said circuit and operable to de-energize said cloth feeding motor and simultaneously energize the motor operating said deflecting means.

9. In a textile treating machine including instrumentalities for engaging and operating upon the surface of cloth and means for feeding cloth along a path during which the cloth engages said instrumentalities, the combination of means for varying the cloth path toward and from said instrumentalities from heavy contact through lighter contact to disengagement therewith, and control means associated with the cloth feeding means and path-varying means automatically to disengage the cloth from the instrumentalities whenever said feeding means is stopped.

10. In a textile treating machine the combination. of instrumentalities for engaging and operating upon the surface of cloth, means for feeding cloth along a path, means for varying the cloth path toward and from said instrumentalities, and control means connecting said cloth feeding means and path-varying means, said control means being automatically actuated by the starting of the feeding means to 'bring the moving cloth intoengagement with said instrumentalities and also automatically actuated by the stopping of the feeding means to cause the pathvarying means to move the cloth out of engagement with said instrumentalities.

11. In a cloth treating machine having a cloth treating cylinder and cloth feeding means, a cloth position control device including means for moving the cloth into a predetermined degree of contact with the cylinder when the feeding means is started and out of contact with the cylinder automatically when the feeding means is stoppped.

12. In a nap raising machine having nap raising cylinder and means for feeding cloth around said cylinder, a cloth position control device including means for moving the cloth into a predetermined degree of contact with the nap raising cylinder when the feeding means is started and out of contact with the nap raising means automatically when the feeding means is stopped.

13. In a cloth treating machine having a cylinder provided Ion its outer surface with cloth engaging instrumentalities, the combination of means for feeding cloth about the cylinder, means for rotating the cylinder, means for moving the cloth in and out of contact with said instrumentalities, automatic control mechanism for operating said cloth moving means, and means for presetting said cloth moving means toselect the degree of contact between the cloth and the instrumentalities, said control means being so connected to the cloth feeding means that the cloth is moved into a pre-selected degree of contact with the instrumentalities when the cloth feeding means is started and out of contact with the instrumentalities when the cloth feeding means is stopped.

WILFRED NOURSE HADLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 643,248 Gessner Feb. 13, 1900 1,863,006 Carmichael June 14, 1932 1,968,963 Schiffers Aug. 7, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 416 Great Britain 1854 33,663 Germany May 2, 1885 

